{Bible Quizzing - Relationship & Revelation}

Bible Quizzing has officially come to a close for the 2014 season.
This past week at NABQT (National American Bible Quizzing Tournament) made me think. What is quizzing truly about? Why do I devote hours every day to quote scriptures over and over again? What I did realize, it's not just to win trophies and ribbons and get "Chariots of Fire" played for you as you go up to receive your medal. Although it is nice to have your name called as the "Quizzer of the Year" or be the highest scorer of a tournament, those things are temporal and are not what Bible quizzing is about.

 

As I thought more about what Bible quizzing is truly about, I realized Bible quizzing is about relationship. Our relationship with God.

The Bible says in John 1:1,

 

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

 

   God=His Word. This is such a simple yet profound discovery I made this year. As we quote hundred of scriptures every day, we learn more about God and develop our own personal relationships with Him. We're not saying meaningless words, but making His Word come to life in our lives. It's impossible to not be impacted by the scriptures you study in Bible Quizzing. As I quoted scriptures I drew closer to God. The more verses you memorize, the more you get to know Jesus.
    Just speaking the Word, and having faith in that Word takes you to such a deeper place in God. When you're memorizing the word of God, and quoting it each day, you hide it in your heart. It's so much more than memorization; it's relationship.

 

    And Bible quizzing is also about Revelation. As we learn these scriptures God reveals Himself and His commandments to us. We don't learn the scriptures to just be able to quote them perfectly, but we learn them to know His Word, and to be able to know the difference between right and wrong.

   

     2 Timothy 3:16 says:

 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:"

 

     This verse basically speaks for itself. When we're learning God's word, He teaches us right from wrong. The Bible is our map on how to get to heaven, so when kids and teenagers are learning the word for themselves, they don't have to question what they believe or why they do what they do; they know why and they can quote the scripture to prove it.

 

"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

119:105

"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

(2 Timothy 2:15)

 

Quizzers devote their lives to study God's word. And through that, they know how to handle God's word and they have a better understanding of His word.

When I finally realized what Bible quizzing is about, I couldn't believe how perfect our material title was this year; Relationship and Revelation. Through the scriptures we studied this year I developed such a deep relationship with God. And through memorizing the scriptures this year, God revealed Himself to me in such a way I will never forget.

I'm so thankful for this ministry. There is no other ministry that impacts Apostolic young people the way Bible quizzing does. And I cannot wait for "The Way of Wisdom" to begin in 2015.

 

 

{Fear Not}

Fear is something we all deal with. Whether it's a child afraid of the monster lurking under it's bed, or the adult fearing they will lose their job.
Fear is real for all of us. The things that you worry about might not be the same as the things I worry about, but to each of us our fears are very real and very... well.. frightening!

The Bible talks a lot about fear. I once read that the phrase "Do not be afraid" is in the Bible 365 times. How cool is that? One for every day of the year. Now, we've read all the verses. We've heard all the sermons, "You don't have to be afraid! God is with you." And yet we still bite our fingernails over whether or not we will get enough money in our paychecks to pay the bills.

I think our problem is, we don't fully surrender the situation into God's control. We hold on to the outcome that we want, without letting God have a chance to create His outcome.
Instead of releasing our anxieties onto Him, we hold on to them thinking God will just take away the fears. But He can't take them away if we won't let them go.

We've all read 1 Peter 5:7, "Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you." But another translation reads, "Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you."

God cares about us! He doesn't want us bearing the load of fear and anxiety. It's too much on a person. So, we have to let go of our anxieties, no matter how hard it may be, and let God take control of the outcome.

The Bible says:

"1Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity...3Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
⁴ Delight thyself also in the Lord: and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
⁵ Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass." -Psalm 37:1,3-5

If we submit our fears into the hands of God, he will make the perfect outcome. No matter what we think should happen, God will bring us out the best way.




Into His hands I lay the fears that haunt me,

The dread of future ills that may befall; Into His hands I lay the doubts that taunt me,

And rest securely, trusting Him for all. —Christiansen

 

 

 

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” -Joshua 1:9

 

"So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." -Matthew 10:31

 

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" -2 Timothy 1:7

{Birdie}

 

{Quick to listen. Slow to anger.}

"God gave people a mouth that closes and ears that don't, which should tell us something." -Eugene O'Neill

 

   Have you ever said something that you regret? You just got so angry that you spouted something off without even taking a millisecond to think about it. It seems each time we're in this kind of situation, our brain decides to leave for a moment, only to return too late; you've already said something you regret. Then, you wish you could go back and change what you said, but that won't happen. Even though we truly wish we could create a time machine and travel back to change our past, it won't happen. What we can do is change the future by making sure we think before we speak next time.

 

   Before you speak, always think about how those word will affect the other person. How would you feel if someone said the same thing to you? Words are powerful. Angered words can be spoken, and an entire relationship can be destroyed within seconds.

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue." (Proverbs 18:21)

  James said, "My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry," (James 1:19)
  Was he saying we can never get angry? No. Anger is a natural human emotion that we can't help, but we can, however, control it.

Before you speak THINK:

• T- Is it true?
• H- Is it helpful?
• I- Is it inspiring?
• N- Is it necessary?
• K- Is it kind?

There's a song by Hawk Nelson called "Words" that goes right along with what I'm saying. It says:

They've made me feel like a prisoner

They've made me feel set free

They've made me feel like a criminal

Made me feel like a king

 

They've lifted my heart

To places I'd never been

And they've dragged me down

Back to where I began

 

Words can build you up

Words can break you down

Start a fire in your heart or

Put it out

 

Let my words be life

Let my words be truth

I don't wanna say a word

Unless it points the world back to You

 

 Remember to THINK before you speak. Words are a powerful thing. Make sure you use that power for good.

 

Ephesians 4:29 

"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."

Psalm 19:14 

"May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer."

{Birdie}

 

{Trusting The Plan}

Sometimes things in life don't make any sense to us. Right when everything seems to be going good, something happens - problems at work, relationship problems, issues at school, family problems. It's when life brings us obstacles like these that we show our true character. It's always easy to worship and praise God when life's going good, but what about when the struggles come? Could the problems all be apart of God's great plan?

We have this grand idea that if we fully follow God, no problems will come our way. We'll be on the road to success without any problems. Unfortunately, this isn't true. We have to remind ourselves of the life God planned for us here on earth. Even Jesus Himself was heart-broken, hurt, persecuted and ultimately died on a cross to pay a debt He never owed. Of course this was hard for Him. He was manifest in the flesh, so He felt each emotion we feel from day to day. But He lived His life in a way that displayed peace, grace, love, and trust in the fact that everything would turn out okay. Even though He was persecuted and people hated Him so much they crucified Him, He chose to live a life of  love towards everyone - even the one's who persecuted Him.

How can we change our minds to react the same way Jesus did to the situations we face from day to day? Can we really face each problem with a peaceful mind, knowing that it will all be okay? No - not on our own. In order to live a life of peace, no matter what comes our way, we have to place our problems at the feet of the One who knew we would face them. And once we do that, He'll give us clarity and peace. We might not understand why certain things happen, but we can trust in the fact that the One who has all authority over our life understands and knows it's for our benefit. It's not our job to know all things, but it is our job to trust in the Lord. His plans are for your good. He knows what best for you, even when it doesn't make sense.

 "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

{Proverbs 3:5-6}

 

 

"O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge."

 {Psalm 62:8}

 

"For I know the plans I have for you,'says the Lord. 'They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

{Jeremiah 29:11}

 

 

{Birdie}

{Little Things}

As I observe while my family sits around the table, exchanging stories and sharing laughter, I notice that over the years we've all changed. We've not only grown older, but each situation that we have faced has formed us into who we are today. Sometimes we think that thankfulness only pertains to situations that are good. But, through each situation, whether wonderful or sorrowful, we must preserve a thankful spirit. We must thank God for each problem and blessing that comes our way, for they transform us into who he wants us to become.

"In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (1Tim. 5:18)

{Things I'm Grateful For:}

First and foremost, I am thankful for an almighty God who has known me from the beginning of time, and has my life in His hands. He always knows what is best for me even when I can't see it.

I am thankful for my family, for without them I would not be the person I am today.
I have the best Mom and Dad in the world. They have devoted their lives to the kingdom of God and loving me and my siblings.
My brother is my best friend ever. Whenever I need a listening ear he's always there. He's an anointed young man of God that has a tremendous calling on his life. His talents blow my mind. He can play just about any instrument he decides to pick up.
My sister is wonderful. She's the smartest, sassiest, and cutest 7-year-old I know! She has a wonderful sense of humor that keeps our family laughing all the time

These are obvious things that I am thankful for. We're all thankful for the things that are noticeable. But, this year I want to start being thankful for the little things. Sometimes, it's those little things that impact us in the biggest of ways.

{Little Things I'm Thankful For:}

I'm thankful for Bible quizzing. Without it, I would not know as many verses as I do. I can't count how many times I've been in a situation where I needed a verse, and I quoted one I learned years before. Bible quizzing has truly been a huge part of my life. I've met some of my best friends through Bible quizzing. Like-minded, lifelong friends.

I'm thankful for my church. I've never seen a church, as a whole, so kingdom minded. I admire the ways each person worships God with all of their hearts.

I'm thankful for winter. I'm not a hot weather person, so the winter season is my favorite. The shimmering white snow, to the hot cocoa. And Christmas is the cherry on top of that cake!

I'm thankful for music. "Music speaks what cannot be expressed, soothes the mind and gives it rest, heals the heart and makes it whole, flows from Heaven to the soul."

I'm thankful for my Apostolic heritage. In 1962 my grandparent's made the decision to surrender their lives wholly to God. I'm thankful that my parents chose to follow in their footsteps and serve God. And I'm thankful that they have taught my brother, sister, and I to love God's truth with everything within us.

Now that I've mentioned a FEW things that I'm thankful for, what are you thankful for? Write it down. Discuss it with your family. Notice the little things, not just the obvious ones. Start seeing little things which truly make our life rich.

"O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. " (1 Chron. 16:34)

 

"To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever."    (Psalm 30:12)

 

"It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High:"   (Psalm 92:1)

 

"O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people."

 (Psalm 105:1)

Train your mind to observe the hidden gifts, because they're the ones that truly make this life special.

{Birdie}

 

{Neglect not the gift which is in you.}

Well, welcome to my blog! My name is Brenae Hord. I'm 15 years old. And, I love to write things. So, I figured I would start a blog. I mean, why not? Blogs are cute and whimsical, plus they incorporate any kind of writing so it seemed like the perfect deal!

Yesterday, I read a quote while doing one of my favorite things: reading the "Quotes" page on Pinterest.

"The things you are passionate about are not random, they are your calling."

---Fabienne Fredrickson



 

This statement spoke volumes to me. How true this is. Many times we start to think every little thing that we enjoy is just some accidental happening. We think we're just made that way. The things we like to do are just frivolous little projects. But, they're neither accidental nor frivolous. God has formed each of us with our own unique passions that fit to our callings. We dont just enjoy certain things on accident. They were established within us for a divine purpose. For example, if you enjoy singing, sing for Jesus! Strive to become a worship leader for your church. Work at it. If you love to write, you could start a blog about inspirational subjects... :)

Whatever you love to do, work at it with all your heart! Practice makes perfect. If you don't work at your calling, you'll never make it. Don't just sit back and wait to magically become the person you were called to be, because it won't happen. Keep moving forward. Don't become comfortable with mediocrity. Strive to be the best you can be. J.R.R. Tolkien said "Little by little, one travels far." Even though you may not feel like you're getting anywhere, keep going! Don't neglect your gift.
We were made to use the things we love for God's glory. Use what God has given you to give back to Him.

Don't wait until tomorrow to make a difference. Use your talents and make a difference today!

1 Timothy 4:12-15

 

 

"12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery."

15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all."

{Birdie}